Programme

Master’s in Theology (Carmelite Studies) – Course Overview

The Master’s in Theology (Carmelite Studies) is an online level nine, postgraduate degree course, for those who wish to deepen their knowledge of the Carmelite tradition. It is guided by experts in the field who bring the riches of this lived tradition to students from all walks of life.  The course makes the heritage of the Carmelite family available at Master’s level across the English-speaking world and enables students to deepen their engagement with, and academic understanding of, the Carmelite charism. The course is in keeping with the Roman Catholic ethos of the Carmelite tradition and is open to those of all faiths and none. Its purpose is to introduce students to postgraduate studies in Carmelite Studies in a way that will enable them to engage in, and contribute to, academic and critical debate in the field of Carmelite Studies.

The MTh (CS) is designed for individuals who:

• wish to engage further in the study of the Carmelite tradition at Master’s-level 9
• have already completed the equivalent of a BTh qualification in a cognate discipline
• can demonstrate a required level of complementary experience or learning by other means

The course allows students to study individual modules at their own pace in a structured yet flexible way on a part-time or full-time basis. The range of subject areas allows candidates to engage critically in the ongoing dialogue between the Carmelite tradition and the contemporary world. Students who successfully complete this course will be able to describe, present and critically engage with the principal elements of the Carmelite tradition.

Course Structure

The degree is structured to allow eligible students to develop their skills to the level of a Master’s qualification. Students study the essential elements of a theological approach to Christian life, and to the living of the Carmelite charism in particular, at postgraduate level. It familiarises students with the normative disciplines in the field of Carmelite Studies, including contemporary studies in theology, history, spirituality and hagiography.

Students are expected to conform to the norms of contemporary scholarship in relation to the history, tradition and approach to prayer associated with the Carmelite charism, and with the Saints and Blessed of Carmel.

In addition, the course is designed to help students to develop essential skills for academic research, practical writing and presentation at postgraduate level. Academic guidance is provided through individual assessment(s), feedback and formal training in the writing of a dissertation.

The academic year is structured as two twelve-week semesters:

• Semester 1: September – December
• Semester 2: January – April

Individual modules are made available during semester periods only, and modules must normally be completed within the twelve-week semester.
There are two entry points to the course aligned with each semester: early September and early December.
The course content is delivered in the form of a phased release of reading material made available through the CIBI website.
To complete the MTh (CS) course students must:

•  Study four taught modules, completing all the necessary assignments, and
•  Complete the dissertation preparation module, and
•  Write a dissertation.

Assessment 

The Master’s Degree in Theology (Carmelite Studies) is assessed as follows:

• Formative Assessment, Questionnaires and Essays
  Each taught module is assessed by one Formative Assessment, two ten-question questionnaires and an essay. Each questionnaire is awarded 10% of the overall marks (2x 10 = 20%).
  The final essay for each taught module is on an assigned topic and between 4,000-4,500 words long. The final essay in each module is awarded 80%
• Dissertation Preparation Module (MTh (CS) 99)
  Students who have completed both of the obligatory modules and two other taught modules may proceed to the dissertation preparation module, once they have achieved an average mark of at least 60% for the four taught modules. Such students are required to complete the dissertation module to the satisfaction of the tutor before beginning their dissertation. If students fail to have their proposed dissertation approved within two semesters of beginning the dissertation module, MTh (CS) 99, they shall be deemed to have failed to complete the MTh (Carmelite Studies) course as a whole.
• Dissertation 
  Having successfully completed the dissertation preparation module (MTh (CS) 99) and having had their dissertation proposal approved, the student will be assigned a supervisor who will support the writing of their 15,000- word dissertation. The topic, and the title of the dissertation, shall be clearly and explicitly in the field of Carmelite Studies. A 15,000-word MTh (Carmelite Studies) dissertation on the topic of their approved proposal is written by the student in consultation with their assigned academic supervisor.

Modules:

• Students must study at least one module from both Section A and Section B
• Students must choose and study only one module from Section C
• The remaining module is of the student’s choice from section A or B

 

Section A: Carmelite History

• MTh02: Carmelite Historiography
• MTh06: Carmelite Marian Mystics
• MTh08: The Carmelite Claim to an Elijan Succession

 

Section B: Carmelite Saints

• MTh03: St John of the Cross
• MTh05: Reading St Edith Stein
• MTh07: Reading St Teresa of Avila
• MTh09: St Teresa of Avila’s Letters as a Resource to Broaden Our Understanding of Her
• MTh11: St Therese of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church
• MTh10: St Elizabeth of the Trinity and the Mystical Tradition

Section C: Historical Spirituality (choose one module to study)

• MTh01: The History of Christian Spirituality
• MTh04: Contemporary Spiritualities

 

In view of the need to constantly develop and update the curriculum, and the possibility that some modules or tutors may become unavailable, CIBI reserves the right to replace any of the modules, or their tutors, with an equivalent module or tutor.

Units

A module is delivered in the form of 10 units to be read and studied. The units are directed towards the assigned reading, which needs to be carefully studied and critically interpreted in order to address the questions posed in the questionnaires

Credits

The MTh (Carmelite Studies) course requires a total of 90 credits.

Duration

Students normally complete at least one module per semester and the dissertation preparation module combined with dissertation itself are usually completed in two semesters, so that the course is normally completed in six semesters. Students who want to study the course full-time will be able to complete the course in a shorter time-frame, perhaps two years.

Students must complete their studies, the four taught modules, the dissertation preparation module and the writing of a dissertation, within four years of registering for the course. Special permission from the Director of Studies is required to extend a student’s registration for a further year, after which a student’s registration in the course will be deemed to have lapsed.

Admission Criteria

Since CIBI’s Master of Theology (Carmelite Studies) is a postgraduate course that presumes degree-level familiarity with studies concerning the Carmelite tradition, and appropriate skills in the English language, it is ideally suited to those who have completed CIBI’s Bachelor of Theology (Carmelite Studies) and those who receive an overall second class honours, grade 1 mark (60 % or above) in that course may proceed directly to the Master of Theology course.

Those who receive an overall second class honours, grade 1 (60% or above), in an equivalent Bachelor of Theology course, or in a similar course that includes both Theology and Spirituality, may be eligible for the MTh course provided they can demonstrate an equivalent background in relation to the Carmelite tradition and an appropriate level of skill in academic English. To make up any shortfall in these areas, and to provide some experience of the distance-learning norms of CIBI, such candidates may need to complete some introductory modules in the Bachelor of Theology (Carmelite Studies) to the satisfaction of the Director of Studies before beginning their MTh studies. Among the modules that may be assigned are:

• H02: The Origins of the Carmelite Family
• H03: Figures of Inspiration: Mary and Elijah
• S01: St Teresa of Avila
• S05: St Titus Brandsma
• S07: St Edith Stein

Those who have NOT completed an equivalent of BTh or a similar course that includes both Theology and Spirituality may also be eligible for the MTh course provided:

1. they can demonstrate a sufficient level of prior, formal or certified learning, such as that provided by certain kinds of vocational training or by some form of involvement with Carmelite spirituality over a period of years;
2. they complete the undergraduate Diploma in Spirituality (Carmelite Studies), which has twelve modules, with an overall second class honours, grade 1, mark (60% or more).

Language Requirements

Students whose first language is not English are required to submit independent documentary evidence concerning their competence for higher studies through the medium of English. A grade equal, or equivalent, to TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) intermediate level grade overall, along with an intermediate level grade in each of the sub-sections (reading, listening, writing, speaking), is required. Should an individual be admitted to the MTh programme whose English is later deemed insufficient for completing the various assessments involved by those examining their work, that individual may be asked to interrupt their MTh studies with CIBI to do further studies on the English language in order to bring their competence up to the standard required.

Accreditation

The Master’s in Theology (Carmelite Studies) is accredited by St Patrick’s Pontifical University, Maynooth

Fees

The current fees structure is as follow:

• Registration fee for new students €50.00
• Taught Module fee €430.00 per module
• Dissertation Preparation fee €530.00
• Dissertation fee €530.00 per semester

COURSE REGULATIONS 15th September 2020

The Carmelite Institute of Britain and Ireland (CIBI)

Master’s Degree in Theology (Carmelite Studies)

Accredited by St. Patrick’s Pontifical University, Maynooth

The Master’s Degree in Theology (Carmelite Studies), MTh(CS) for short, will allow those students who already have a Bachelor’s degree in theology, spirituality or a cognate discipline, or who have completed the BTh (Carmelite Studies) with the required grades and marks or who have already completed the Carmelite Institute of Britain and Ireland’s Diploma in Carmelite Studies (and can demonstrate the required level of complementary experience or learning by other means), to develop their skills to the level of a Masters level qualification.

The course is open to those of all faiths and none but, in keeping with the Roman Catholic ethos of the Carmelite tradition, it is designed to be informed by the normative disciplines of Roman Catholic Theology.

Its purpose is to introduce students to postgraduate studies in Carmelite Studies in a way that will enable them to engage in, and contribute to, academic and critical debate in the field of Carmelite Studies.

The course is designed for three specific groups:

• Firstly, it is designed to offer postgraduate level formation in the field of Carmelite Studies to those who might not be able to attend a full-time course due to their work commitments, vocation (enclosed Carmelite nuns, for example) or some other reason.
• Secondly, it is designed to allow the considerable number of students who already have the equivalent of a BTh qualification in a cognate discipline, and who have already completed the CIBI Diploma in Carmelite Studies, to continue their academic engagement in the field of Carmelite Studies and bring them to Masters level.
• Thirdly, it is designed to allow those who students who will complete the BTh (Carmelite Studies) with the required level of competence to proceed directly to Masters-level studies in that field.

The course makes the heritage of the Carmelite family available at Post Graduate level across the English-speaking world on a part-time, on-line basis. It enables students to equip themselves with the relevant skills and critical expertise for academic or formation work in this field.

Although students will not need to attend a particular campus and will continue with their previous commitments, the course will enable them to engage in an appropriately critical and academic manner with the material in a manner that maintains the standards of practice typical of third level institutions. Students will be required to engage seriously, and in keeping with the normative standards of academic best practice, with the history, tradition and spirituality of Carmel.

Their studies will equip them to engage critically in the ongoing dialogue between the Carmelite tradition and the contemporary world and to play a leading role in the formation or training of others interested in the field of Carmelite Studies. Compared to an equivalent full-time qualification, the part-time nature of the course means that, in general, it may take considerably longer (up to a maximum of four years) for students to complete the MTh (Carmelite Studies). The slower pace of the studies allows students to remain in their particular places of ministry, in their monasteries, or in their particular locations (sometimes far removed from any academic campus) and to allow a more measured engagement with the material in keeping with their particular way of life.

The aim of this course is to enable students to explore, discover and study the essential elements of a theological approach to the Christian life, and to the living of the Carmelite charism in particular, at postgraduate level. It will familiarise students with the normative academic disciplines in the field of Carmelite Studies, including contemporary studies in theology, history, spirituality and hagiography. Students will be expected to conform to the norms of contemporary scholarship in relation to the history, tradition and approach to prayer associated with the Carmelite charism, and with the Saints and Blesseds of Carmel. Having studied the material presented, having engaged with it and having presented their critical understanding, students will receive feedback that will help them to hone their skills with a view to becoming competent and relatively independent scholars in the field of Carmelite Studies.

Admission Criteria

Students who achieve an overall second class honours, grade 1 (60 or above) in the BTh (Carmelite Studies), together with a mark of 65 or above in the four long essays, will be eligible to proceed to the MTh (Carmelite Studies). Those who receive an overall second class honours, grade 1 (60 or above) in the proposed BTh (Carmelite Studies), together with a mark of 65 or above in two of the four long essays may be deemed eligible by the Academic Board of the BTh (Carmelite Studies).

Students who achieve an overall second class honours, grade 1 (60 or above) in a BTh (or equivalent) will be eligible to proceed to the MTh (Carmelite Studies).

Those who have completed an undergraduate course in a cognate discipline, and who have also achieved an overall second class honours, grade 1, in the Diploma in Carmelite Studies that is part of the BTh (Carmelite Studies) course will be eligible to proceed to the MTh (Carmelite Studies).

In exceptional circumstances, students who have achieved a second class honours grade 1 in CIBI’s Diploma in Carmelite Studies but who do not have a primary degree may be admitted to the MTh (Carmelite Studies) provided that they can demonstrate equivalent prior experiential, formal or certificated learning. In each case an application for Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning, Accreditation of Prior Formal Learning, Accreditation of Prior Certificated Learning, or a combination of these, must be submitted to the CIBI office on application.

Course Structure

All CIBI courses are delivered in the form of a phased delivery of reading material made available through the CIBI website (www.cibi.ie). All communication between the CIBI office and students is electronic and copies of all such communication are maintained in the CIBI office. The academic year will consist of two twelve-week semesters, the first running from mid-September till mid-December, and the second from early-January until late-April/early-May. Unless the Academic Board determines otherwise, each taught module will last for one semester and will be taught during the semester periods only, rather than being ongoing throughout the year.

Programme module requirements:

• Students should study at least one module from both Section A and Section B.
• Students may study only one module from Section C
• The remaining module/s is/are of the student’s choice.

(In other words, students may study only one module that is not Carmelite, Sections A and B)

Section A: Carmelite History

• MTh02: Carmelite Historiography  
• MTh06: Carmelite Marian Mystics
• MTh08: The Carmelite Claim to Elijan Succession

Section B: Carmelite Saints

• MTh03: Saint John of the Cross
• MTh07: Reading Teresa of Avila
• MTh09: Teresa of Avila’s letters as a resource to broaden our understanding of her
• MTh11: Saint Therese of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church
• MTh05: Saint Edith Stein
• MTh10: Elizabeth of the Trinity and the Mystic Tradition

Section C: Historical Spirituality

• MTh01: The History of Christian Spirituality
• MTh04: Contemporary Spiritualities

If a candidate can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the CIBI Director of Studies that they have successfully completed an equivalent module elsewhere, an exemption on either the third or fourth taught module may be granted.

Students choose their taught modules from those on offer during the period of their registration. In view of the need to constantly develop and update the curriculum, and the possibility that some modules or tutors may become unavailable, any of the taught modules, or their tutors, may be replaced with equivalent module or tutor.

Students who have completed both compulsory taught modules and two other taught modules of 15 credits each (60 credits in total) may proceed to the dissertation preparation module, MTh(CS)99, provided they achieve an average mark of at least 60% for the four taught modules.

Having successfully completed the dissertation preparation module, MTh(CS)99, and provided their dissertation proposal has been approved, they will be assigned a supervisor by the Director of Studies who will direct the writing of their 15,000-word MTh dissertation of 30 credits on the topic chosen by student in consultation with their academic supervisor. This topic, and the title of the dissertation, shall be clearly and explicitly in the field of Carmelite Studies.

Should a student fail to have their dissertation proposal approved within two semesters of beginning the dissertation preparation module, MTh(CS)99, they shall be deemed to have failed to complete the MTh (Carmelite Studies) course as a whole.

Candidates will usually take at least one taught module per semester, which would enable them to complete their four taught modules in four semesters. Students, however, may take more than one module in a semester but they are advised that the demands of the taught modules are such that they are not recommended to undertake more than one taught module in any semester.

Students are not required to take a module every semester, however students must complete the four taught modules and the dissertation, within four years of registering for the course. Special permission from the Director of Studies will be required to extend a student’s registration for a further year, after which a student’s registration in the course will be deemed to have lapsed.

Each taught module is assessed by two questionnaires and a final written assessment on an assigned topic of between 4,000 and 4,500 words. Both the answers to the questionnaires and the final written assessment are submitted to the Turnitin website to ensure that any plagiarism issues are addressed.

In each module, each of the two questionnaires is awarded 10% of the overall marks, the other 80% being awarded for the final essay.

Language Requirements

Students whose first language is not English are required to submit independent documentary evidence confirming their competence for higher studies through the medium of English. A grade equal to, or equivalent to, TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) intermediate level grade overall, along with an intermediate level grade in each of the sub-sections (reading, listening, writing, speaking), is required.

Should an individual be admitted to the MTh programme whose English is later deemed insufficient for completing the various assessments involved by those examining their work, that individual may be asked to interrupt their MTh studies with CIBI to do further studies on the English language in order to bring their competence up to the standard required.

Fee Schedule

• Non-refundable application fee is €75.00
• Fee for each taught module is €430.00

• Dissertation Proposal fee is €530.00 (this is a non-refundable fee to be paid when proceeding to the dissertation preparation module)
• Dissertation Semester fee is €530.00 per semester (payable until dissertation is complete and submitted for assessment).

Re-enrolment fee €105.00 (following leave from the course. Please note the course will be completed within five years of enrolment) Resubmission Fee; Essay €105.00 and Questionnaire €50.00 (Where a student fails to reach the required mark for a paper and is required to re-submit a paper) Repeat module fee €300.00 (Where a student does not reach the required mark for the module and is required to repeat the module)